Category Archives: Reviews

Blended by Sharon Draper

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Katy K.

Blended by Sharon Draper. Simon and Schuster Kids, 2018. 978-1442495005 11-year-old Isabella’s parents divorced when she was 6.  It’s always been hard, but since her dad moved back to Ohio and she’s splitting her time between two houses, it’s even … Continue reading →

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Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Katy K.

Sarah Prineas’s Magic Thief series is one I’ve loved enough to listen to multiple times, so I was very excited to read her new book, the pages going quickly and happily by after a period where it felt like I … Continue reading →

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Starring Kids with Hearing Loss: You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! and The Collectors

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Katy K.

My daughter wears hearing aids, which has shone a light for me on how difficult it is to find mainstream books whose main characters are Deaf or hard of hearing.  There’s El Deafo, which is great, but not a lot … Continue reading →

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A Week of Reading

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Katy K.

Today I looked at the pages of review notes I have and decided to just give you shorter reviews of the books I read this week.  It’s a big mix of styles – two realistic fiction (one teen and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, books, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, nonfiction, Print, Realistic, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Miss Buncle’s Book for Old School Wednesday

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Katy K.

I’m going to borrow a feature title from the Book Smugglers again and call this Old School Wednesday – taking a break from trying to keep up with the latest hot releases by reading an older book.  This one first … Continue reading →

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4 Kids’ Fantasies from Outside the US

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Katy K.

Here are four middle grade fantasy books from the English-speaking world outside of the US – South Africa, Australia, Ireland, and the UK.  (Shorter reviews as part of my trying to catch up with my reading.) The Turnaway Girls by … Continue reading →

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A Sprinkle of Spirits: Love Sugar Magic Book 2

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Katy K.

I really enjoyed Anna Meriano’s first book in the Love Sugar Magic series, A Dash of Trouble, so I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour for the second book, which just came out February 5. … Continue reading →

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Thisby Thestoop and the Black Mountain

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Katy K.

I’m not having a lot of time to write reviews with my kids home from school and seeing friends and family for the holidays, but here’s one more Cybils nominee review to tide you over until the finalists are announced … Continue reading →

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3 Holiday Picture Books + Bonus Craft Book

Posted on December 23, 2018 by Katy K.

This year, I was given a last-minute request to read a Christmas book to the Girl Scout Junior troop. Here’s what I found on the shelves. Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. HarperCollins, 2002. This … Continue reading →

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The House with Chicken Legs

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Katy K.

The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson. Scholastic, 2018. Marinka has lived in the house with chicken legs all her life, helping Baba Yaga.  Others may see her as an ugly and dangerous hag, but Marinka knows her as … Continue reading →

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